injuries, and alms-giving; but they confined their charity to those of their own nation. In opposition to this narrowness of mind, our Lord declares," Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." He also reproves their unsocial selfishness, under the parable of the good Samaritan; and enjoins his followers to "be merciful, even as their heavenly Father is merciful."

The Jewish teachers maintained, that impure thoughts and desires were not sinful, unless they produced evil actions. In opposition to this opinion, our divine Teacher declares, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." On other occasions he frequently reproved the Pharisees for exibiting a fair external appearance, while destitute of internal purity. He compares them to whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones, and all manner of uncleanness. This comparison of our Lord appears peculiarly happy, when we recollect, that it was the custom of the Eastern nations to whitewash their sepulchres; and we may suppose that, at this time, the sepulchres about Jerusalem were newly white-washed, as the Passover was at hand. With a particular allusion to the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees, our Saviour pronounces a blessing upon the pure in heart; and teaches us, that no external actions, however plausible to men, who

can judge only from appearances, can avail us before the omniscient Deity, the Searcher of hearts.

In order to exhibit the entire contrariety between the spirit of Christianity and a revengeful temper, and that desire of conquest which excite mankind to engage in destructive wars, our Lord pronounced a blessing upon peace-makers, "for they," said he “shall be called the children of God." They bear the image, and copy the example, of their heavenly Father, who is styled "the God of peace." The glorious title of children of God shall not be bestowed upon those who distinguish themselves under the banner of a victorious leader, but upon those who love peace themselves, and study to promote it in others.

Our divine Instructer next pronounced a blessing upon those who are "persecuted for righteousness' sake." Thus he taught the Jews, that instead of obtaining a conquering Messiah, and having their ambition gratified by wealth and honour, an adherence to his cause would expose his followers to violent persecutions. Those, however, who suffer for the gospel should esteem themselves happy in enduring affliction, for they shall be rewarded with eternal felicity in heaven.

After our Lord had described to his hearers the dispositions which would prepare them for becoming subjects of the Messiah's kingdom, he proceeds to awaken the attention,

particularly of his disciples, to the responsibleness and importance of their situation, "Ye are," says he, "the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted; it is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." Our Saviour's supposition of the salt having lost its savour, is thus illustrated by Mr Maundrell, who informs us, that," in the valley of salt, near Gebal, and about four miles from Aleppo, there is a small precipice, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt. "In this," says he, "I broke a small piece of it, which, though the part that was exposed to the rain, sun, and air, had the sparks and particles of salt, yet it had perfectly lost its savour. The innermost, which had been connected to the rock, retained its savour, as I found by proof."

"Ye are," says our divine Instructer to his disciples, "the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid."

The above named author tells us, that "there is a city, called Japhet, supposed to be the ancient Bethulia, which, standing on a high hill, might easily be seen from the mountain on which Christ delivered this discourse, to which he here probably alluded.

When our Lord calls his disciples the light of the world, he exhorts them, to "let their light so shine before men, that they, seeing their good works, may glorify their Father

who is in heaven." The meaning of our divine Teacher appears to be, that as God makes use of the sun to enlighten the natural world, in like manner the disciples are employed to dispel the moral darkness of mankind by communicating to them the knowledge of God, and horting them to the practice of the Christian virtues.

LETTER VIII.

The Subject continued.

MY DEAR NIECES,

At the time when our Lord delivered his admirable discourse on the mount, various opinions prevailed in the world, respecting the changes that would take place during the government of the Messiah. Some were inclined to believe that he would set aside the ancient religion, and introduce a new one in its place. It appears that the Jewish teachers. made an important distinction between the greater and lesser precepts of their law. But our Saviour assures them, that he was not "come to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fulfil them ;" and that, "till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.'

To an audience which had been accustomed to admire the piety of their Pharisaical

teachers, our Lord declares, "that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." That is, except ye, my hearers, interpret and observe the moral law in a more perfect manner than the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall have no share in the kingdom of the Messiah. Our Saviour's declaration must have greatly surprised his hearers, if the proverb, which has since prevailed, was of so ancient a date; for it has been commonly said by the Jews, "that if but two men were to enter into the kingdom of God, one of them would be a Scribe and the other a Pharisee."

Our Lord proceeds to mention several instances of the low standard of the rule of righteousness, which the Scribes and Pharisees taught and practised; and shews, that their interpretation of various particulars in the moral law was grossly defective and corrupt. The first thing which he notices is, their sentiments on the sixth commandment, which prohibits murder. This crime the Jewish teachers confined entirely to the outward action of maliciously slaying a person, by a man's own hand; and supposed, that he who was not guilty in this respect could not have offended against the divine law. But Christ exhibited the true spirit and intent of the commandment, and declared, that he who indulges himself in unreasonable anger, and reviling